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Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Double Duty

We eat a lot of fish around here. In fact, sometimes I think we eat so much fish that I'm going to grow fins. I guess there are worse fates, (eating a lot of fish, not growing fins -- which would be bad), but sometimes it's a challenge to come up with new and exciting ways to prepare it. In fact, sometimes it's a good idea to go back to the tried and true. Going back to the one recipe that was always a hit, is often the best new recipe you can introduce.

Such is the case with Ina's Swordfish with Tomatoes and Capers. The sauce is easy and literally has nothing in it that's bad for you. If you're really virtuous, you can leave out the tablespoon of butter, but I think it really smoothes out the sauce. Otherwise, we're talking about fennel, onions, and tomatoes. It's fresh, and it's delicious.

An added bonanza of this recipe, is that I like the sauce with grilled chicken as well. It's just as light and tasty as with the fish, and makes the same lovely presentation.

Of course, we eat just about as much chicken around here as we do fish, so instead of fins, I suppose we could grown wings!

For the sauce, cook the onions and fennel in the oil in a large saute pan on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the drained tomatoes, smashing them in the pan with a fork, plus the salt and pepper. Simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Add the chicken stock and white wine and simmer for 10 more minutes to reduce the liquid. Add the basil, capers, and butter and cook for 1 minute more.

Prepare a grill with hot coals. Brush the swordfish with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill on high heat for 5 minutes on each side until the center is no longer raw. Do not overcook. Place the sauce on the bottom of a plate, arrange the swordfish on top, and garnish with basil leaves. Serve hot or at room temperature.